Children of the Light
]] The Children of the Light are a paramilitary organization dedicated to finding Darkfriends and rooting out evil and corruption wherever it may be found. Their zeal in this endeavour makes them dangerous opponents. They typically refer to themselves as The Children. They are commonly referred to by others though, as Whitecloaks due to their snowy white cloaks, which they wear in all seasons and keep immaculately clean. This is not a name favoured by the Children themselves. The current Lord Captain Commander of the Children is Galad Damodred. History The Children of the Light were founded in during the War of the Hundred Years by Lothair Mantelar. They were originally preachers working to expose Darkfriends, using Mantelar's book The Way of the Light as their guide. At first they only defended themselves against the Shadow, but by they had become a fully militarized force. The Children's power and prestige was initially limited, but over the succeeding one thousand years, as the influence of the Aes Sedai began to ebb due to their declining numbers and failure to prevent the War of the Hundred Years and many subsequent conflicts, they became more popular and powerful. In the 930s NE they reached an accord with the king of Amadicia, who agreed to let them establish a permanant base of operations, the Fortress of the Light, in the capital city of Amador. However, the power of the Children within Amadicia rapidly outstripped that of the king, and within a few years the royal Serenda Palace had been removed to outside the capital and the Amadician army reduced to an auxillary force under the Children. The Children entered a period of rapid growth under young, successful military commanders such as Pedron Niall, and in 957 NE they launched an ambitious attempt to bring the much larger and more divided neighbouring kingdom of Altara under their rule in what became known as the Whitecloak War. The kingdoms of Illian and Murandy intervened in the conflict and the Children were forced to abandon the attempt, despite significant military gains and successes. Despite many intrigues and attempts to extend their influence into neighbouring Altara, Ghealdan and Tarabon, the Children's influence and power has been contained within Amadicia. In 998 NE they launched an attempt to ferment rebellion in Andor, using popular discontent with the kingdom's alliance with Tar Valon, but this plan failed. Another plan to resurrect the kingdom of Almoth as a Children stronghold and then force Tarabon to submit due to pressure from north and east was also defeated, this time by the arrival of the Seanchan Hailene. Lord Captain Commander Niall learned of the later return of the Seanchan forces and rallied the Children's military in preperation for an anticipated attack, but he was assassinated before this information could be passed on. He was succeeded as Lord Captain Commander by Eamon Valda. A few weeks later the Seanchan invaded Amadicia, capturing Amador and the Fortress of the Light in a daring assault using airborne troops dropped into the city by to'raken. Attempts by the Children to retake the city in alliance with the Amadician army were defeated at the Battle of Jeramel. Valda subsequently forged an alliance with the Seanchan to the discontent of many of the Children. Holding Valda responsible for the disappearance and presumed murder of his adopted mother, Morgase Trakand, Galad Damodred, now serving in the Children, slew Valda in single combat. The other Children proclaimed him Lord Captain Commander and he led the bulk of the surviving Children out of Amadicia, north and east towards Andor. Their current plan and objective is unknown, although Galad was reported to be considering an alliance with the Dragon Reborn to fight the Seanchan and drive them out of Amadicia and the rest of the Westlands. Ideology Thinking that since the One Power was used during the Breaking of the World that all who touch it are Darkfriends. Thus all Aes Sedai serve the Shadow. They believe in strict military disicpline for all and are ruthless about their beliefs. Hand of Light Main article, Hand of the Light The branch of the Children that are responsible for extracting damning cofessions from the men and women that are captured. Using thumb screws, boiling oil and the like these people torture and use whatevere means necessary to gain a guilty confession. They are a seperate part of the main body of the Children of Light, the High Inquisitor stands almost as high as a Lord Captain. The current High Inquisitor is Rhadam Asunawa. Hierarchy The ranks, beginning with the highest, among the Children and the Hand of the Light are as follows: Officers *Lord Captain Commander - The leader of the Children of the Light *Lord Captain - Commands a legion which is supposedly 2000 men, though it is often less and sometimes more. *Senior Lieutenant *Lieutenant- Usually the lowest rank to hold a position of command. Usually act as support officers for their superiors. *Under-lieutenant Other Ranks *Hundredman - commands a hundred men; often more, sometimes less; they rank below officers, but above common soldiers. *Bannerman *Second Bannermen *Squadman *Second Squadman *File leader *Regular trooper The Hand of the Light *High Inquisitor - Only answerable to the Lord-Captain Commander *Inquisitor Members Leadership Lord Captain-Commanders *Galad Damodred *Eamon Valda *Pedron Niall High Inquisitor *Rhadam Asunawa Lord Captains *Abdel Omerna - 'Spymaster' *Canvele *Geofram Bornhald *Jaichim Carridin (Darkfriend) *Trom Other Officers *Dain Bornhald *Einor Saren *Farran *Jaret Byar *Kashgar - Under-Lieutenant *Norowhin Standard Members *Asidim Faisar *Dimir Faral *Doirellin *Earwin *Gomanes *Ivon *Joelin *Lucellin *Muadh *Wuan Agents *Sebban Balwer - Spymaster *Varadin - Informer Children of the Light Category:Organizations Children of the Light Category:Military